In a recent national survey conducted by TelyRx on behalf of Centiment, 58% of U.S. adults who regularly take prescription medication reported that they have either run out of or deliberately rationed doses to stretch their supply. The study, which fielded 1,256 completed surveys between July 8 and August 3, 2026, focused on respondents who had ordered a prescription refill delivery for a chronic condition within the past year.
Key Findings
Among the 734 respondents who admitted to skipping or delaying medication, 79% said this had happened more than once in the last twelve months. When asked how long they typically went without a dose, 59% reported a gap of two to six days, while 28% said they had gone a week or longer. The longest gaps reported were up to two weeks for a small minority.
When participants were asked to identify the single biggest barrier to consistent medication access, no single issue dominated. However, high out‑of‑pocket costs for name‑brand drugs and unpredictable insurance coverage changes were frequently cited. Many respondents noted that rising costs for basic necessities such as housing and food forced them to stretch their medication supply.
Health Risks
Sixty‑three percent of those who skipped doses said the medication was important to their health, and 19% believed that missing a dose could lead to hospitalization or even death. Ashley Robinson, PharmD, a pharmacy manager at TelyRx, emphasized that patients on critical therapies usually understand the stakes: “Rationing isn’t usually about a lack of understanding. Patients on critical medications typically know exactly what’s at stake.”
Despite these risks, 46% of respondents did not inform their provider the last time they missed a dose, and 19% never told their doctor at all. Reasons included expecting a refill soon (37%) and believing it wasn’t necessary to disclose immediately (36%).
Patient Adaptations
When faced with medication delays, most patients try to adapt. Seventy‑two percent reported making at least one change to improve refill consistency, such as setting reminders, using mail‑order services, or consolidating pharmacy visits. However, systemic changes were less common: only 11% were able to switch insurance providers to obtain more reliable medication access.
Robinson warned that insurance changes mid‑year can create unexpected hurdles: “Medications covered by insurance might change costs, preferred pharmacies shift, and prior authorizations expire, forcing patients to restart the approval process even when nothing else about their health has changed.” These administrative obstacles can gradually push patients toward skipping doses.
Potential Solutions
The survey suggests several proactive steps that could reduce medication rationing. Improving price transparency, expanding generic drug availability, and streamlining prior‑authorization processes could help patients maintain consistent therapy. Additionally, encouraging open communication between patients and providers may prevent dangerous gaps in treatment.
While the data are unweighted and carry a margin of error of about ±3% at a 95% confidence level, the findings highlight a concerning national trend: more than half of Americans managing chronic prescriptions are forced to make difficult choices about their health due to financial and administrative barriers.
About the Survey
The survey was conducted online by Centiment for TelyRx. Respondents had to be U.S. adults aged 18 or older who had ordered a prescription refill delivery for an ongoing medical condition within the previous twelve months. Short‑term illnesses such as infections were excluded. The study’s methodology and full questionnaire are available on TelyRx’s website.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
